


The Truth

by SteveM



Series: In The Public Interest [9]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29897376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveM/pseuds/SteveM
Summary: When Clark decides it's time his sons knew the truth about who he - and they - are their world changes forever.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Kate Kane, Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: In The Public Interest [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101194
Comments: 12
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

“So… why am I here again?”

“I told you, I need a haircut.”

“Huh?”

“Hair - human or Kryptonian - grows over time. Either I cut it or I look like a mop.”

Kate sighed and shook her head. “Yes, oddly enough I do understand how hair works. But why am I here and why am I holding a fire extinguisher instead of, for example, scissors?”

“Alex insisted.”

“Now I’m really lost.”

“It’s nothing!” Kara said quickly but the look on Kate’s face told her she wasn’t getting away without explaining this one. “There may have been a… slight… incident when we were kids.”

“Tell me everything or I douse you with the whole can right now.” Kate said with an eager grin.

“Well… my hair’s as indestructible as the rest of me.” 

“I’ve noticed. Really annoying that you can’t get split ends.”

“Yes well… it was kinda becoming an issue a few months after I got here so I had to figure out how to cut it. Couldn’t exactly just tear it out so I tried my heat vision. Bounced it off a mirror.”

“Oh. Oh no….”

“I wasn’t quite as… umm… practiced with it back then.” Kara said sheepishly. “Too hot and I looked too far right and Eliza was a big fan of having plants in the bathroom….”

Kate spluttered trying to hold back laughter and once she’d started she couldn’t stop. Kara glowered at her but decided she might as well take advantage of the situation.

“It was the great Ficus massacre of Midvale.” Kara said solemnly and Kate’s giggles became full fledged laughter.

“We had a funeral in the back yard, buried the charred remains.” Kate was starting to have problems breathing which wasn’t helped by Kara putting a hand dramatically to her forehead. “They were so young!”

“Okay! Okay enough… stop… I can’t…” Kate lobbed a cushion in Kara’s direction but was still doubled-up with laughter and it fell about two foot short.

“Now that’s just sad.” Kara said looking down at the wasted shot. “The arms are always the first thing to go.”

“I’ll… ohhh owww, my stomach…. I’ll show you first thing to go!” Kate said as she tried to launch herself across the gap at her wife. She made it about halfway before her aching stomach muscles protested and Kara took a single step backwards. Kate came up short, arms now wrapped around her abs and Kara took the chance to give her a big grin and kiss her forehead.

“Or was it the legs?” Kara asked though she couldn’t quite keep a straight face. “Maybe I should check….”

“Maybe you should….” 

“Haircut first, sex later.”

“Guess again.” Kate growled and this time she couldn’t possibly miss. The lunge took Kara off her feet and on to her back. Specifically on to her back about two foot off the ground, Kate lying on top of her as she savaged her with a kiss that was almost brutal. 

“Well… since you asked nicely!” Kara gasped, grabbing hold of Kate’s butt and pulling her close. “Bed?”

“Here’s fine.” Kate said with a smirk. “Put that super speed to use would you lover? We’re both overdressed for…” There was a burst of movement and suddenly both women were stark naked. “… this.” Kate glanced down and patted Kara’s side. “Good girl, here, have a reward…”

Kate spun on top of Kara, liffting herself clear by bracing her hands on Kara’s thighs and neatly dropping her legs either side of Kara’s head. Naturally that brought Kate’s head down in between Kara’s thighs and the familiar, wonderful scent that rose to greet her was proof enough she’d made the right choice.

“Any requests?” Kate asked, her breath warm on Kara’s sex.

“You. Just you. Forever.” Kara said and Kate let out a sound that blended a happy giggle with ‘awwwwww’.

“Your wish is my command.” Kate said before the afternoon dissolved into a familiar, beguiling blur of warm flesh, intoxicating scents, addictive tastes and captivating cries.


	2. Chapter 2

“Do we have to?” Kara whined, her arms wrapped firmly around Kate’s waist as she pressed against her wife’s back.

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Look, it’s dark out.”

“So?”

“It might have escaped your attention my love but Batwoman is a creature of the night.”

Kara sniggered and sucked on Kate’s neck in full-on vampire style. 

“Ohhh… that’s not fair….” Kate groaned, her head rocking back against Kara’s shoulder.

“Still think we have to get up?” Kara said, lifting her lips just far enough for the words to form.

“Yes?”

“You’re not suuuuuuureeee…” Kara teased, her fingers trailing down Kate’s side.

“No, I am. I just don’t want to, there’s a difference.” Kate said and with a tremendous effort of will managed to roll out of bed. She landed on the floor with a soft thud and cursed under her breath.

“You *did* remember you’ve still got the ankle cuffs on, right?” Kara said innocently.

“Of course. I always like to start my patrols by falling on my face, it’s good practice for getting hit by bad guys.”

“Well in that case the night’s off to a good start!”

“Oh shut up.” There was a click, a rustle of leather and a deep red pair of restraints appeared on the bed. Kate stood up and stretched, deliberately facing Kara as she did so. The look of desire on the Kryptonian’s face went some way to make up for the teasing. 

“So you getting up or what?” Kate asked after letting Kara drink her in for almost a minute.

“Actually, unless you want me out with you tonight, no.” Kara said with a slightly sheepish grin. “It’s been ages since I could have a night to myself so a huge bed, comfy pillows and a TV the size of the wall seems the way to go.”

“You know I’m almost tempted to say I need you at my side just as payback for that Dracula thing…”

“You wouldn’t!” Kara looked horrified at the thought and Kate couldn’t resist dragging the moment out with a thoughtful look. She knew that if she pushed Kara probably would suit up and join her…. but the truth was Kate just didn’t have the heart to do that to the woman she loved when she seemed so comfortable.

“Oh I would… but not tonight.” Kate said with a grin. “But tell you what… if I get you some popcorn before I head out will you change the sheets before I’m back? You always manage to lose a kernel or two…”

“Seems fair.” Kara agreed, reaching out for Kate’s hand to pull her in for a kiss. “Thanks love. Any other requests?”

“Hmm…. Stockings, garters and corset?”

“I’ll think about it.” Kara said with a look that almost had Kate diving head-first under the sheet again. Before her self-control completely failed Kate forced herself to head for the shower. A quick rinse was all she needed right now, there wasn’t much point in going for a deep clean before spending a few hours in Gotham’s underworld, and a few minutes later she’d suited up and headed for the hidden roof access after dropping off a bowl of freshly-microwaved popcorn to the cocooned blonde. The big, beaming smile was more than enough reward and she stepped into the night with unbridled optimism about the patrol lying before her.

An hour and change later the optimism was gone and Kate was bored. Gotham had generally been settling down in the last few months anyway but tonight the place was damn near deserted. The night was pleasant enough but she guessed that a mild Thursday evening as summer turned to fall wasn’t enough to get people out partying. The clubs and restaurants in the wealthier parts of the city were doing okay but she hadn’t seen a single queue as she swung through the skies far above them. The towers in the downtown core were mostly dark and silent and she was just wondering where to head next when her cowl pinged with an incoming call. She glanced at the caller ID on the inside of the eyepiece and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Hey Kara, everything alright?” It wasn’t often that her wife would call her in the middle of a patrol, at least not when they were in the same city, and it put Kate a little on edge.

“Yes. Well…. Sort of. Umm….”

“Hang on a second.” Kate said as she leant a little further to her right, turning the grapple-assisted swing into a landing on the roof of an office building. She gave the area a quick scan to make sure she wasn’t going to be overheard then settled down amongst the usual mass of environmental systems that adorned the top of most modern buildings. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing!”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing.”

“Nothing’s wrong.. it’s… uh….”

“Take a deep breath, start from the beginning.” Kate advised.

“Okay. Okay okay okay… “ She heard Kara draw a deep, slightly shaky breath and realised her wife didn’t sound upset so much as… nervous.

“I just had a call from Kal. He’s… uh…. He’s going to tell the boys who he is. Tomorrow.”

Well that’d do it, Kate thought. “He asked if you wanted to be there, didn’t he?”

“Yeah.” Kara admitted. “I said I’d get back to him.”

“How’d he sound?”

“Annoyingly calm.” Kara said and Kate could almost hear the pout on her wife’s face. “I guess he’s been thinking about this for a while.”

“Probably since the day Lois got pregnant if not before.” Kate replied. “Let’s face it, Clark’s hardly the sort of man to not think of that little complication.”

“True.” Kara sighed. “Doesn’t help me much though.”

“Don’t you want to tell them?”

“Yes! Of course I do!”

“So… what? You’re worried about stepping on his moment?”

“No. Well not really. Sort of.”

“If he asked you he’s happy for you to be there. Hell he’s probably hoping you will be, take some of the pressure off him.”

“I know.” Kara said quietly. “But that’s not it. Not really.”

“Then what is ‘it’?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. I just… I’ve been thinking about what we said back on our anniversary. About the boys figuring out who I am as soon as they know Kal’s secret?”

“Yeah….?”

“Well if they know who I am… they’re gonna work out who you are as well, right?”

“Probably.” Kate said with a shrug she hoped came across in her voice. “Is that a problem?”

“I… wait, shouldn’t that be my line?”

“Maybe but the answer’s simple whoever asks the question. No, it’s not a problem. Not for me, anyway.”

“But… they’ll know….”

“What? They’ll know who I am under the cowl? Big deal.” Kate snorted and shook her head. “They wouldn’t tell anyone as a) they’re Clark’s kids and have very much been raised right, b) they love you to death and wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt you and c) they’re well aware I can put any number of spiky things in them without them knowing it. Oh and d) I have access to Kryptonite so if they ARE super that won’t help them avoid the pointy things. Did I miss anything?”

“Uh no, no that’s pretty comprehensive.” Kara said clearly shocked at how easily Kate had rattled the list off. “You’ve been thinking about this…”

“No more than you have.” Kate said, her soft tone oddly out of place in Batwoman’s cowl “Look…. This is going to be hard for them. They’re going to have their whole world upended in an instant. The kids, yeah, but Clark and Lois too. If we’re honest about who we all are then there’s no more surprises left and we can see what damage needs to be mended.”

“That’s a pretty procedural way of looking at it.” Kara pointed out. 

“I know.” Kate chuckled quietly. “I never claimed to be good at this emotional stuff, remember?”

“You’re good at it.” Kara reassured her wife. “You’re *really* good at it.”

“I’m good at figuring out how it affects things and what sort of state it’s gonna leave people in after.” Kate corrected. “Actually dealing with it while I’m the one in the middle of it, not so much.”

“You deal with me pretty well.” Kara pointed out.

“You make it easy.” Kata said with a fond smile. “Plus I don’t deal with it that well… remember the mess I made of anyone who got in my way when you were taken to Apokolips?”

“That was just hot.” Kara said without thinking and Kate would swear she heard the blush over the phone. “Oh Rao, I said that out loud didn’t I?”

“You did.” Kate confirmed. “And for our third anniversary I’ll book you a ringside seat at a cage fight while I tear through anyone that wants to step up.”

“Please don’t.” Kara said but Kate could hear the barely-controlled giggles. “I mean, what if someone beat you?”

“With you ringside? Never gonna happen.”

“Alright, what if those perfect cheekbones got damaged? That’s be a crime!”

“I don’t think you’ve quite got this.” Kate paused for dramatic effect while trying not to laugh. “I took on frickin’ Darkseid for you my love… what possible danger is there from some human MMA fighters?”

“Counter offer, book the venue, the cage and a mud pit. I’ll take you on myself.”

“Consider it done!” Kate said and this time she couldn’t hold back the laughter. “Talking of which… you want to head down to Smallville tonight?”

“Yeah.” Kara said reluctantly. “We probably should.”

“Okay, Do me a favour and hang on the line for a minute?”

“Sure.”

Kate tripped a control on her gauntlet and switched her cowl to the private Batcave frequency. “Luke, you still awake back there?”

“Of course I am!” The reply sounded a little indignant but Kate really didn’t have time to tease her best friend right now.

“Great. Anything nasty brewing or is Gotham as quiet as I think it is?”

“Uh… police bands are pretty much dead…. Medical and fire services likewise… nothing on the sensor net…. Quiet as the grave, at least as far as I can tell.”

“Great. Look something’s come up, I’m going to call the patrol early. Can you get the Batwing warmed up for me?”

“Sure. Full tanks?”

“Yeah, this is a cross-country trip.”

“National City?”

“Smallville actually. Need to go see Clark to help him out with a little, uh, problem.”

“Ah. Do I take it you’d like the rocket spun up as well?”

“How’d you guess?”

“Uh, because you’ve been trying to get Kara to arrange that trip for about a month now just to show off?”

“Oh very good!” Kate said and she meant it. “You’re getting better at reading people!”

“Nah, you two are just really obvious.” Luke teased her. “I’ll get it all sorted out Kate, don’t worry.”

“You’re a life saver, thank you.”

She clicked the comm back to Kara who was humming to herself on the phone.

“Hey.”

“Oh hey. Are you ever gonna get on-hold music for that cowl?”

“No. No I’m not.” Kate rolled her eyes then remembered why she’d put Kara on hold to begin with. “Luke’s priming the Batwing, if I head home now we should be able to get to Smallville this side of midnight.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Kara agreed. “You finished the ‘cave out there?”

“No, but it’s close enough. The apartment’s ready and parking for car, bike and plane is up and running.”

“Well that’ll save on hotel costs.” Kara said sardonically.

“Yeah, and it only cost a few million dollars in materials and robot construction workers. Bargain!” Kate commented as she pulled her grapple from her belt. “Alright, I’ll be back in… oh, fifteen minutes or so? Can you throw an overnight bag together for me?”

“It’ll be ready.” Kara promised. “Thanks for doing this Kate, I really…”

“Stop right there.” Kate interrupted with a grin she hoped Kara heard. “You don’t need to thank me or appreciate it or anything else. It’s the right thing to do and of course I want to be there for you. For all of you, actually. I’ve grown attached to this little Kryptonian family.”

“Well you did marry into it…”

“Exactly.” Kate laughed as she threw herself off the roof and into the night. “See you soon my love.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Sleep okay?”

“Surprisingly well.” Kara admitted as Kate nudged her to the right just far enough to open the fridge. “Nervous but actually a little excited as well… does that make me a bad person?”

“No, mainly because you asked that question.” Kate snagged a yogurt and a packet of blueberries along with a glass bottle of orange juice before carefully nudging the door closed again. “Natural to be excited about getting to be yourself to people you care about.”

“And the nerves?”

“Oh that’s natural too. A requirement, in fact. But look on the bright side…” Kate looked around conspiratorially then stage-whispered with big, wide eyes. “Imagine telling them you’re gay!”

“Oh the scandal!” Kara put a hand to her forehead and staggered back a little. “Though I do have to point out, Bi not Gay.”

“Well no-one’s perfect.” Kate said with a grin. “Though you’re as close as I’ve ever seen.”

“Awwwwwwwww…. You say the sweetest things.”

“I know.” Kate said smugly. “Talking of which I’ve got the rocket ready to roll so we can at least turn up in style.”

“Isn’t that a little bit… extravagant for Smallville?” Kara asked though she didn’t sound too worried.

“Yep, which is pretty much the only reason I based it out here in the first place.” Kate laughed. “Come on, if Clark wants us there for eleven we need to be on the road in ten minutes.”

“Woah, is that the time!” Kara said, glancing at the clock then wolfing down her breakfast in a blur of super speed.

“Hey, you were the one who insisted on sharing a shower….”

“That should have been quicker than going separately!”

“Riiiiiight. Name one time that the two of us being in the shower, together, naked has taken anything less than half an hour?”

“Umm… I’d love to but we’re running late!” Kara replied with a cheeky grin as she grabbed her glasses. 

“Give me strength…” Kate muttered as she downed the last of her orange juice. “Alright, come on. But I’m driving!”

“Awwww….”

“No, no awww. I’m not having you put your foot through the carbon fibre tub of a four million dollar car. Again.”

“It was just one time….”

“Was it?”

“Yes!”

“You know I talk to Eliza, right?”

“Oh.”

“Care to revise that number?”

“Would you believe… four?”

Kate raised an eyebrow and waited as Kara squirmed.

“…. teen?”

“Yes, that I’d believe.” Kate said with a laugh. “And I know you’ve gotten much better since learning in that beat-up Chevy way back then but I’m still driving.”

“Fair enough.” Kara shrugged. “Just try not to get us arrested before we make it to Clark’s place?”

“No promises!”

****

“You okay?” Lois Lane asked her husband quietly as they waited on the front porch, the bench seat swaying gently from the chains that held it. 

“Yeah. I’m just… nervous.” Clark gave a self-deprecating grin. “It’s not often that happens.”

“Can’t imagine why.” Lois said with a chuckle. “It’ll be fine Clark. The boys will understand… though maybe not straight away.”

“I know. I mean, I hope I know.” Clark sighed and looked at his feet. “I just hope I can give them enough space. It’s going to be tough….”

“You will. You always do.” Lois said fondly. “Don’t take this the wrong way but you always worry too much.”

“I do?”

“You do.” Lois confirmed with a gentle smile. “And you always take it in your stride and do the right thing. It’s annoying but a burden I can live with.”

“Thanks.” Clark looked up at her face and smiled. “For everything, I mean. I couldn’t do this without you.”

“I’m aware. For a start there’s the whole childbirth thing that’d give you problems.” Lois teased.

“That’s not really what I…” Clark paused, tilting his head like a dog who’d just caught something on the edge of hearing.

“They’re here?” Lois asked.

“Almost. At least I’m assuming no-one else is driving a V12-powered car around Smallville today.” Clark said with a flash of annoyance. Lois noticed and punched him on the arm.

“Now be nice. Kate knows what she’s doing!”

“You’re sure about that?”

“You know the only reason she bought that thing was she noticed it hanging on Jonathan’s wall after you sent her that selfie.”

“Hmmmm….”

“Well, alright, AND to gently annoy you by playing up the whole fun, corrupting aunt gimmick. But even that’s for the boys really.”

“There are times I wonder…”

“Don’t.” Lois advised as her regular human ears picked up the high pitched noise of the approaching car. “I was talking to her… oh, a few months back. Must have been just after you told Kara about our plan to move out here. That woman loves this family like she does her own Clark. Trust me, you couldn’t ask for a better ‘aunt’ for your kids or a friend for us.”

Clark went to reply when they both heard the clatter of feet coming from the wood stairs inside the farmhouse. A few seconds later the front door burst open and both Jonathan and Jordan pilled out, looking down the dirt path towards the main road a mile away. Something flashed in the sunlight as it turned at the junction then a ball of dust sprang up as whatever it was made its way towards the farm.

“No way…” Jordan said. “You didn’t tell us Kate and Kara were coming today!”

“How do you know it’s them?” Clark asked and almost let slip a laugh at the look of disgust on his son’s face.

“Oh come on, who else do you know that drives something that loud?” 

“You might be surprised….” Lois said, backing up her husband. “And we didn’t tell you because it was a last minute thing. They had a day free and wanted to come catch up.”

“Cool!” Jonathan sounded like he was wondering if he was awake or dreaming. As the car came closer his eyes grew wider and wider. “Wait… is that….”

Jordan joined him squinting into the dust cloud. “It can’t be….”

The car slowed and coasted to a halt at a rakish angle in front of the house so as not to send the dust swirling over the waiting family. The doors hinged upwards and Kara climbed out of the right side with Kate following a moment later out of the left. They were dressed casually in jeans and t-shirt, Kara in what always felt to her like the state uniform for Kansas of white top, blue pants while Kate, naturally, wore black. Kate had added a pair of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses with mirrored orange lens that somehow turned her casual outfit into something befitting the driver of a multi-million dollar hypercar.

“No way! No… way….!” Jonathan raised a hand almost reverently and laid it on the front right light cluster.

“Something wrong?” Kate asked casually with a knowing grin.

“This… these… how….” He blinked and looked at his brother for support who sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I think what he’s trying to say is: ‘how do you have a T50 when they haven’t been delivered yet?’” Jordan said but his own excitement was clear in his voice. Unseen behind the boys Kara looked over at Clark and Lois, making sure she couldn’t be seen before mouthing the words “Because she’s Batwoman.”. Clark managed to keep a straight face but Lois couldn’t hide the snicker. Thankfully for her the boys were still awestruck by the sculpture of automative art parked on their driveway.

“Who says they’re not?” Kate replied. “Things work a little differently with price tags this large.”

Under other circumstances there might have been an argument but the gleaming black bodywork beckoned to the two teens, somehow still pristine despite the dust clouds. 

“Can we… maybe….” Jonathan asked, turning big puppy dog eyes on Kate. 

“Clark?” Kate asked and threw him a wink. The lenses hid it from view of course but that didn’t make much difference to the Man of Tomorrow who suddenly realised exactly why Kate had gone for such a flashy entrance.

“Fine by me. Just don’t get them arrested. Again.”

“Like the Smallville police have anything that can keep up.” Kate replied with a laugh. “Alright. Jordan, you coming?”

“Yeah! I mean, yeah, okay, why not.” 

“Alright, one on either side after I’m in.” Kate said, sliding gracefully under the big upraised door. There was a moment of confusion for Clark as he’d assumed it’d be a one at a time affair… but the boys were quickly swallowed up by the surprisingly small car. He took a proper look through the windscreen and only then noticed the three seats. The boys sat either side and a little way back from Kate who was firmly in the centre of the car. He saw her glance either side to check they were in and the belts fastened before tapping a button to get the doors swinging down. 

As Kate made her way carefully back up the drive Kara materialised at Clark’s elbow. “She’ll give us a few minutes. We figured you might want to talk this through before, well, talking it through.”

“Nice to see your command of the English language is as smooth and devastating as ever.” Lois said, sweeping Kara into a hug. “Thanks for coming Kara. We really appreciate it.”

“Of course. And just so you both know… Kate’s okay with telling them who she is as well.”

“Really?” Clark asked, surprise etched on his face.

“Yeah. She figures they’d work it out once the shock wore off anyway, might as well be honest about it.”

“Huh…” Clark looked back towards the main road as the T50 got tarmac under its wheels and shot off towards the horizon, V12 howling as it raced past 10,000rpm. 

“What?” Kara asked, forcing herself not to overreact as she knew she could if someone looked like they were about to criticise her wife.

“Nothing. It’s just…” Clark gave her a slightly melancholy smile. “She’s really not like Bruce.”

“Oh I don’t know.” Lois said, winking at Kara. “Ridiculously attractive, absolutely loaded, looks good in black, would die for the people they care about… sounds pretty similar to me.”

“Attractive? Really?”

“Have you seen her dear?” Lois teased and Clark suddenly waved his hands urgently.

“No no, I meant Bruce! I know Kate’s…. I mean….” He looked from his wife to his cousin and back again. “There’s no way of getting out of this gracefully is there?”

“Probably not but I appreciate the effort.” Kara told him. “Now… before Kate ends up bringing every state trooper to your door… how do you want to do this?”


	4. Chapter 4

When the T50 rolled to a halt in front of the house Clark, Lois and Kara were all waiting on the porch doing a remarkably poor job at hiding their nerves. The Kryptonians were paying very careful attention to their surroundings to make sure there wasn’t so much as a bird within earshot and Kate had to resist the urge to go up and smack them for being so on edge.

“Uh… are we in trouble?” Jonathan asked nervously as he looked out the window at the welcoming committee. 

“Probably not.” Kate said, tripping the doors from the centre console. “But even if we are there’s no point in waiting in here.”

Rather reluctantly the boys swung themselves out of the low-slung car with Kate following them a second or two later. She slotted into place behind them, trying to make them feel they at least had some backup as they headed for what could, in certain lights, be considered a firing squad.

“Ummm…. Hi?” Jordan said.

“How was the drive?” Lois asked realising that she was going to have to be the calming voice for a change.

“Fantastic! Kate got up to…”

*shutup* Jonathan coughed into his hand and to his credit Jordan changed direction almost seamlessly. 

“… to the legal speed limit and not a mile over it.”

“Which takes all of about two seconds.” Kate added helpfully, trying to keep the mood light. “Which leaves plenty of time to take in the sights.”

“Yeah. Lots of… umm… corn.” Jordan added with a slightly sheepish grin at realising a little too late that Smallville was rather short on outstanding natural beauty spots. 

“Is… is something wrong?” Jonathan asked and Kate made a mental note to come up with a suitable rich aunt way of rewarding him for having the guts to ask.

“No, no not at all!” Clark said quickly as he suddenly saw what they must look like. “It’s just… I need to talk to you about something. And it’s nothing that you’ve done wrong!” He added quickly. “In fact I guess it’s more something I’ve done wrong.”

He gestured towards the porch swing and the boys glanced at each other before taking a seat. Kara went halfway down the short set of stairs from the porch to the drive and lent against the sun-baked white wood as Kate came over to join her. Lois took the rocking chair, though she tapped a little wood triangle under it with her foot to stop it moving. Clark, meanwhile, leant against the railings in front of the boys and looked more nervous than either Kate or Kara had ever seen him.

“I… well, I owe you an apology.” Clark said, not quite knowing where to start. Sure he’d rehearsed this over and over, most recently with Kara while they were waiting for Kate to come back, but now the moment had arrived he felt lost. 

“What for?” Jordan asked nervously at the very unfamiliar sight of his father seeming unsure of himself.

“For lying to you.” Clark said quietly. “And I hope when I tell you the truth you’ll understand why.”

The nervous looks quickly gave way to fear but Kara held herself back. She wasn’t sure she could do anything to help anyway but even if she could… this had to be Clark’s show. 

“You know that Ma and Pa adopted me, right?” Clark asked softly and got answering nods in return. “They took me in, treated me as their son, gave me a wonderful home and… and put me on the road to all of this? To you?”

Another set of nods and Clark drew in a deep breath. “What you don’t know… what I didn’t tell you… was where that road started.” Every fibre of his being yearned to reach out and take Lois’s hand… but he wanted to keep her separate from this, try to focus any anger on himself so there was at least one parent the boys would talk to after they were done.

“I… I don’t understand.” Jonathan said and Kate’s head came up as her eyes narrowed. Yes he did, she thought to herself. He might not want to admit it but Jonathan had figured out where this could be going. Maybe not the details and he certainly wasn’t anywhere near ready to accept it but even so that was impressive.

“I know. How could you when…” Clark blinked and focused on his sons. “The truth is… they found me.”

“Found you?” Jordan asked in disbelief. “Like, in a box?”

“Not quite.” Clark told him with a small smile. “Actually they found me in a spaceship.”

The world seemed to go silent. There wasn’t a whisper of wind to disturb the moment or even the beginnings of a question from his audience.

“My parents sent me to this planet as a baby to escape the destruction of my own world, Krypton.” Clark said, hoping against hope this was going to end well. “Somehow I found the Kents and they raised me as a human.”

“K… Krypton?” Jonathan asked and Clark noticed that both him and his brother had gone as still as statues. He nodded and before the next question could be asked he walked down the stairs and went over to the slightly battered pick-up truck they’d been using to haul stuff between this fam and the Kent residence a mile or two away. Crouching down he effortlessly lifted it up over his head and turned to face them before taking off into their air and floating a few feet off the ground.

“But… so…. You’re….”

“I’m Superman.” Clark confirmed as he gently put the truck back down and came back up to the porch, kneeling before his sons. “And I’m so, so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

The silence was oppressive but the adults forced themselves to keep quiet, giving the boys the chance to process this new information.

“So… wait… does that mean….” Jonathan looked over at Kara who nodded. 

“Yeah, it does. I’m Supergirl.” She resisted the temptation to show off, choosing to give the boys as much mental space as she could.

“And so, what, you’re the Flash?” Jordan asked Kate with sarcasm that made her unreasonably proud. 

“No, but you’re not a million miles away.” She said as she casually tossed him a small black metal object. He caught it a little clumsily in his right hand and stared down at the Bat symbol shaped weapon.

“You’re Batwoman?” Jonathan asked in disbelief. He gave a mirthless laugh that instantly had Clark regretting everything. “So our entire family lied to us about who they are… and what we are!”

“But… but you always told us to tell the truth!” Jordan said accusingly.

“I know.” Clark said, not trying to deny it. “But this truth… it’s… difficult and potentially dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Jonathan laughed again but now it was tinged with anger. “You’re SUPERMAN, what’s dangerous to you?”

Lois moved from the chair to crouch next to Clark, a hand on his shoulder. “Not to him. To you. To us… There are some very bad people out there who would be more than happy to use his family to control him. Or, worse, just to hurt him. We couldn’t….”

“What? Take the risk we’d tell someone?” Jonathan ’s bitterness was growing alongside his anger. “Because you really don’t trust us at all, do you?”

“Is it because we don’t have powers?” Jordan asked, feeding off the vibe from his brother. “Were you hoping we would then just told us when you gave up?”

“What? No, not at all!” Clark protested but the avalanche had started and somethings can’t be stopped by anyone.

“Must have been awful, seeing us fail day after day.” Jonathan added, picking up the idea and running with it. “Just hoping one day we’d be what you wanted!”

“That’s not it!”

“Really? You didn’t even tell us we weren’t human!” Jonathan snapped. Kara started to make a move to join the argument but Kate’s hand wrapped around her arm. There was a tiny shake of the head and Kara realised her wife was right. Now wasn’t the time, it would be seen as ganging up on them.

“Is that why you moved us out here?” Jonathan demanded. “To get us away from people before they found out? Were you worried what would happen if we kissed someone, a normal human?”

“No! We….” 

“So you just tuck us away from the world, stick us on a farm in the middle of nowhere and hope no-one finds out about us?!?” Jonathan was yelling now, rational thought replaced with anger and rage. “Fine! I can make sure you don’t see me again!” He stood and stormed into the house, the front door bouncing so hard on its hinges it ricocheted back closed in his wake. 

“Wait for me!” Jordan called though his voice was just full of sadness rather than anger. He raced after his brother leaving the adults behind looking from one to the other as Clark and Lois desperately tried to find something, anything to make things better…


	5. Chapter 5

Kate could hear low voices coming from Jonathan ’s room so headed in that direction. She forced herself not to move silently, to let the creaky floorboards give her away long before she was close enough to knock.

“Hey, wanna talk about it?” She asked into the sudden, sucking silence. She gave it a minute then knocked again.

“If you don’t want to talk, how about listening?” She offered but, once again, the only response was that horrible, numbing silence.

“Okay, fair enough. I’ll be sitting out here if you change your mind.” She settled in opposite the door and forced herself to be still. Another minute passed. Two. Five. The silence continued, grew oppressive and then passed through to become almost comical. Two teenage boys whose world was knocked upside down on one side, one Kate Kane who wanted to help on the other. It really wasn’t much of a contest, Kate thought with a small, rueful smile. She pulled her hand back and lobbed the small rubber ball she’d brought with her at the bedroom door.

It bounced off with a dull *tonk*, ricocheted off the floor and landed perfectly in her outstretched palm with a small smack of rubber on flesh. 

*Tonk*, *Tonk*.. *smack*.

*Tonk*, *Tonk*.. *smack*.

*Tonk*, *Tonk*.. *smack*.

*Tonk*, *Tonk*.. *smack*.

Kate was counting under her breath but doubted she really needed to. Sure enough, by the time she was drawing her arm back for the twenty third throw the lock clicked open and Jonathan glared at her from the suddenly open doorway.

“Leave us alone.”

“Is that really what you want?” Kate asked, lobbing the ball straight up and catching it without looking.

“Yes!”

“For how long?”

“For…. For good!” 

“Really?” Kate shrugged as she kept the ball soaring up in the air and snagging it on the way down, never so much as glancing at it.

“Really!”

“Going to make meals tricky.”

“We’ll manage.”

“I’m sure you will. Doesn’t make them suck any less.”

“You don’t know everything!” Jonathan almost yelled the words but they bounced off Kate as easily as the ball had bounced off the door. She knew where they came from, recognised them all too easily.

“You’re right, I don’t.” She said with another shrug. “No-one does.”

“I… what?” Jonathan looked suddenly confused, the conversation taking a sudden right turn from where he’d assumed it was heading.

“No-one knows everything but everyone’s got an opinion.” Kate said with the smallest smile. “And that includes you two by the way.”

“Well how can we know… know anything if you lie to us!”

Ouch, Kate thought, that one stung. Ah well, she’d been expecting it and she could hardly blame them. “Is that what you think we’ve done, lie to you?”

“Yes!”

“And you’d be right.” Kate said, once again seeing the flicker of confusion at her agreement. “So the question is… why did we do it?”

“I… I don’t know…” Jonathan replied and for a moment the anger faltered to be replaced by the pain Kate knew had to be raging beneath the surface. Behind him she could just make out Jordan looking round his brother, letting him do the talking but clearly just as hurt.

“You’re sure about that?”

“Yes! I… no… maybe…”

Kate nodded her understanding as she added a little twist to the ball, bouncing it off the wall above her and then the ceiling before it fell back into her hand. 

“That’s what I said too.”

“What? When? About this?”

“No.” Kate sighed and fixed her gaze on his, dropping every barrier that she’d ever learned to put up. “It’s what I said when my dad told me he lied about my sister’s bones being found.”

There was dead silence for a long moment then Jonathan said in a rather shaky voice. “But… your sister is fine….”

“She’s okay now.” Kate still had him pinned with her eyes, the only sound other than their words the gentle thud of the ball as she kept it going up and down, up and down. “We were coming back from our thirteenth birthday, our mom driving… our car was rammed off a bridge by the Joker. I made it out, my mom and my sister didn’t.”

The boys were suddenly white faced, staring with huge, wide eyes and seeing nothing but honesty looking back at them. “They found my mom’s body in the river below but my sister vanished. I…we… searched for months until, one day, my dad told me they found her body. What little was left.”

She sighed and shook her head as the memories came flooding back. “Years passed, we moved on… but it was never the same. I could never really talk to him, or anyone really. I might have got out of the car but the person I was went over with it as sure as if I’d been with them. Then, a long, long time later… I found out it was a lie. The bones weren’t my sister’s, weren’t even human. You can imagine what that did to our relationship.” She gave a small, sad laugh as the boys nodded slowly in unison.

“So, believe it or not, I might have a little bit of an idea what it’s like to have your world turn upside down.”

“Not like this.” Jonathan said quietly.

“No, not like this.” Kate agreed. “Your dad gets it but I figured that’s way too scary a conversation for all of you right now. So I thought you might want to talk to me instead.”

Jonathan stood in the doorway, every thought written on his face as they flashed by. Suddenly Jordan was at his side, looking out at Kate.

“Did… was it…. Did it stop hurting?” He said and his voice was very small. Kate’s heart broke but she knew that empty words weren’t what was needed here. 

“Not completely.” She admitted. “It got better but I can still feel myself getting angry when I remember it. But it wasn’t his fault. I lost my mom and sister. He lost his wife and daughter. We were both hurting but too stubborn to really talk about it.”

“Do you wish you had?”

“Yes. And no.” Kate said, the ball still punctuating her sentences as it bounced off the ceiling.

“I don’t get it.” Jordan said, frowning.

“Yes, I wish we’d talked. We could have helped each other through it, maybe had a better life… at least until I inevitably did something stupid and screwed it up.”

“You?” Jonathan said in disbelief.

“Oh yes, I was spectacularly good at that.” Kate said with a smile that she was thrilled to see reflected, just for a heartbeat, on their faces. “Still am if I’m not careful.”

“So… why no as well?” Jordan said carefully.

“Because if I had… maybe my life would have been different. Maybe I wouldn’t have spent a decade travelling the world learning to be a badass. Maybe I wouldn’t have met Kara. And maybe, just maybe….” Kate caught the ball one more time then hurled it with all her strength at the corner of the corridor maybe six foot away. It ricochetted off and raced from wall to ceiling to floor to wall and back again at ridiculous speed. It hit the wall two foot to her left just above her head and arrowed for Jonathan ’s nose… only for a blur of black metal to impale it a few inches away and pin it against the door frame.

Both teenagers snapped their necks round to see the dense little ball stabbed and caught by the Batarang then turned back just as quickly. Kate was standing in front of them, hand still outstretched from throwing the weapon.

“Maybe I wouldn’t be Batwoman.” She finished and forced herself to stay still and quiet, give them a moment….

“Woah…” Jordan whispered, unable to resist the ridiculously awesome thing he’d just witnessed. He glanced over at his brother and Jonathan nodded slowly before speaking.

“Alright. I think… I think we’d like to talk. If you’re still willing to listen?”

“To you two? Always.” Kate said with a wink. The boys moved back inside their room to let her in and she was just about to step inside when she hesitated. 

“Uh, actually….” She pulled the Batarang free from the woodwork and pocketed the now rather flat rubber ball. She glanced at the doorframe and winced at the deep hole the razor sharp edge had left. “Do me one favour though? Don’t mention that bit to your dad, okay?”

There was another pause then both teenagers laughed. It was an odd giggle from both boys, more nervous energy being released than genuine humour but at that moment it was the best sound in the world for Kate Kane.

“Okay!” They agreed. “He won’t notice anyway.”

“Oh he’ll notice…” Kate said as she went to shut the door. “I’m just hoping I’m back in Gotham when he figures out what happened.”


	6. Chapter 6

“So…..” Kate sat down on the only chair and let the boys perch on the bed. She considered sitting in between them but… but that felt wrong somehow. Too familiar. Too intrusive. Right now they were putting on a brave face but she could see the pain and confusion and fear boiling away. The only way in to that maelstrom was to be invited, push and if she was lucky it’d just drown her and not them.

“What… are we?” Jonathan said and there was a hopelessness in his voice that stabbed Kate more thoroughly than any thug could hope to manage.

“What do you want to be?”

“You know what I mean!” 

Kate sighed and shook her head. “Not really, no. And I don’t think you do either if you’re being honest.”

“We’re… not human!” Jordan blurted out and Kate had to fight back a wince.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” She said, trying to keep her voice calm and soothing… which wasn’t exactly her normal way of solving problems so was proving something of a challenge. “That’s kinda the problem, no-one really knows how this goes.”

She saw their confused looks and raised a hand. “Sorry, I’m not explaining that very well. Can I try again?”

They nodded, still silent and Kate started over. “Alright… well, we know that Kryptonians and Humans are apparently close enough genetically to have kids, right?”

“How do… oh, right.” Jonathan said as his brain caught up with his mouth.

“Yeah, you two are living proof of that.” Kate said with a small smile. “And just so you know… you were born on Argo City.”

“Argo City? What’s that?” Jordan asked, his curiosity peaked but Jonathan cut across him. 

“Where’s that? And why did you say ‘on’? No-one says ‘on Metropolis’…”

“Argo is all that’s left of Krypton.” Kate said gently. “Kara’s home city. The chunk of planet it sat on was fired away during the cataclysm and thanks to Zor-El - Kara’s father, your Uncle - they managed to survive. It’s floating - rather rapidly - through the universe and Kara stumbled upon it a few years ago. It was the perfect place for you two to be born to make sure your mom was safe.” 

“So… we’re aliens?”

“As I said, we genuinely don’t know. Your folks had you both checked on Argo, Kryptonian science is just every so slightly more advanced than what we’ve got on Earth and they wanted to be sure you were healthy. While you seemed to be… and you’ve certainly both got a mix of both bloodlines… they couldn’t really figure out much about the specifics. You’ve certainly got a *bit* of Kryptonian in you but for all I know you could be 99.9% human.”

“So just freaks then?” Jonathan said with a mirthless laugh.

“What makes you say that?” Kate asked with a raised eyebrow. “If I look back in my family tree just a couple of generations you’ll find my bloodline’s a mix from what seems like half the damn world. Well… the Jewish parts anyway. Does that make me a freak?”

“No, but they’re all…”

“All what? All human?” Jonathan nodded and Kate snorted in disdain. “Honestly there’s more genetic drift in the human race than there is when you compare a Human to a Kryptonian. It’s never quite as simple as it seems on the surface.” 

She looked them up and down, wondering how best to make them see… “Kara once dated a boy from Daxam. If they’d had kids would you consider them freaks?”

“Uh….. no?” Jordan said after a moment of thinking about it.

“Why?”

“They’re both aliens.”

“Okay… so let’s say you could ask Mon-El - that was his name, by the way, the boy Kara dated - if your parents kids would be freaks. What would he say?”

“Ummm… no?” Jordan seemed to anticipate the follow-up question and didn’t wait to hear it. “Because they’re both aliens to him.”

“Exactly.” Kate said with a proud smile. “No-one’s a freak but we *are* all different. The problem comes when we put out own expectations and standards in the mix, then we get persecution and wars.”

“You said we didn’t know what we meant.” Jonathan said slowly. “What did we mean?”

“Well I’m guessing but I think you meant ‘who are we’ not ‘what’.” Kate held her breath, hoping she’d read it wrong. He thought about it for a moment then nodded.

“So who are we?”

“You’re exactly the same people as you were yesterday. Only you know a little bit more than you did. It’s that simple.”

“But…”

“But it feels like your entire world just got turned upside down?” Kate asked with a knowing smile.

“Yeah!”

“Trust me, I know the feeling.” Kate said, laughing softly under her breath. “You are not allowed to repeat this story to ANYONE, okay?”

“Okay…” They both chorused the word in the same slightly confused but curious tone.

“I’m just coming up on my fourteenth birthday. I’m lying in a bedroom not much different to this and flicking through a magazine when I come across this set of promotional shots for season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And right there, in the middle, is Sarah Michelle Geller in a black tank top and red leather pants.”

Kate smelled and snapped her fingers. “Instantly, and I mean in a heartbeat, I’m in love. Like can’t blink, can’t breathe, hands shaking stone-cold crush territory. And then, then it hits me. I’ve never, ever felt like that about a boy. Nothing even close. In fact, as her eyes keep staring out at me from the picture, I realise I haven’t felt ANYTHING romantic or… umm… attractive towards a boy. And I realised three things.”

She held up three fingers and counted down. “One: that I was almost certainly gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide. Two: that all the BS the world had fed me about families and romance and true love was a giant lie that wanted me to be a certain way that I really wasn’t. And three: that I was somehow going to have to tell my dad and not have him think it was a response to loosing my sister.”

She smiled and reached a hand forward towards the boys who cautiously placed theirs on top of it. “You, at least, know you’ve got the support of your parents. That the lie was there to protect you, not control you. I know it’s not much and right now it probably feels like nothing but at some point it’s going to mean the world to you.”

There was silence for a minute as the teens absorbed what she’d just told them then Jordan smiled a little shyly. “So… why can’t we tell Kara?”

“Because I would have to endure decades - literally decades - of staking-related puns and quotes from one of her favourite TV shows. If this happens I know who to blame…”

Jordan laughed and it was like a damn had burst. Jonathan joined in and the stress and pressure that had been pushing at the inside of their heads ever since they’d seen their father fly rolled out of them. Downstairs both Clark, Lois and Kara all looked up and sighed in relief at the sound with Kara not quite able to keep a proud smile off her face.

“Better?” Kate asked after everything had settled down a bit. 

“Sort of.” Jordan said.

“A little.” Jonathan added. “But it’s all still there…”

“I know.” Kate said with a sympathetic look. “And this isn’t going to be easy. But nothing worth doing ever is.”

“So what’s next?”

“Well…. I’m no expert but you should probably think about speaking to your parents. Don’t worry!” Kate added quickly at the shared guilty expressions. “They’ll understand you running off, they really will, I promise.”

“They will?”

“Guarantee you we’ve all done something similar.” Kate said before pausing and adding. “Some of us more than once. A lot more.” She got to her feet and stretched some of the tension out of her spine. “I’ll head back down, you come if and when you’re ready. We’re not going anywhere.”

She had her hand on the doorknob before the voice rang out.

“Wait!” Jonathan called and when she looked back both him and Jordan were standing nervously behind her. “We’re… can we come down with you?”

“Of course.” Kate said then lent in close as if letting them in to a secret. “And don’t worry, there’s only two Kryptonians down there, I can take ‘em.”


	7. Chapter 7

There was a very long moment of awkward silence when Kate and the junior members of the Kent family appeared in the large living room of the farmhouse. Thankfully however there was none of the earlier tension. Instead it seemed like everyone was just stuck looking for the right words and no-one wanted to take a chance on getting it wrong.

Kate gave it a full minute then decided that, as she was technically the only one without a ‘blood relative’ stake in the upcoming discussion she might as well take the chance. 

“Can I say one thing?” She asked in a tone that made it clear she was going to whether she had permission or not.

“Uh, sure.” Clark said.

“If the first words out of anyone’s mouth are “I’m sorry” I *promise* you I’m burning the house down.”

There was another moment of silence, though this one seemed more stunned horror than awkwardness. Then Kara burst into giggles, raced forward and swept Kate into her arms. She spun her around, kissed her quickly (mainly as it still felt weird to do so in front of the boys) and ended up facing the teens.

“So did Kate work her magic?”

“I… uh… yeah?” Jonathan said as he tried to hide his own grin at Kate’s words as she casually dropped into an armchair, legs thrown over one arm in a ‘just get on with it’ pose.

“I’m sorr…” Jordan started only to be cut off by a loud “Ah-HEM’ from Kate as she flicked a lighter open meaningfully. 

“Oh. Right.” Jordan blinked a couple of times, trying to work out how to deal with the situation. It had that same vibe as if he was in trouble… but his parents looked just as nervous as he normally did! Kate wasn’t any help and Kara… Kara was looking at him with a small, calming smile. Her back was to Clark and Lois and when she was sure he was looking at her she gave him a quick, encouraging wink. And suddenly, just like that, Jordan knew exactly what he wanted to ask his father.

“What’s it like?” Jordan asked, coming around Kara to stand in front of his parents. His eyes were fixed on his dad and to his never ending relief Clark could suddenly see nothing but excitement in that look.

“Yeah, what’s it like?” Jonathan echoed, taking his place alongside his brother. 

“What’s…. What like?” Clark asked, still being careful.

“You know….” Jonathan said with a hint of exasperation.

“Flying.” Jordan added helpfully.

“Oh! It’s… “ Clark looked at Lois who laughed and shrugged. 

“Come on Mr Pulitzer, answer the question.”

“It’s… it’s like….” Clark racked his brain and then inspiration hit. “You remember when we were out at Ma’s farm about five years ago and the truck broke down?”

“Yeah?” Jordan said, clearly not seeing the connection.

“We were, what, two miles from the house and had to walk back, right?”

“Uh-huh….”

“And we had to wait at the crossing for that express train to go by. What do you remember about that?”

“Really windy.” Jordan said slowly, casting his mind back. “And… noisy but not. Like the noise was rushing by so quick you couldn’t really hear it. And… and it was just a blur but it was like you could *feel* the speed as it went past.”

“Flying’s like that only you’re the train.” Clark said, clearly quite proud of himself. Kara glanced at the boys and saw it hadn’t quite sunk in yet. Which was fair enough, she thought, after all how did you explain something so… so alien as flying without wings or an engine?

“Tell them the other part.” She suggested quietly with a mischievous look that Clark knew and dreaded. He didn’t argue although she did hear the quiet sigh of resignation.

“Actually it’s kinda how I really got myself in trouble with Pa for the first time.” Clark admitted. He sat down on the couch and the boys almost instinctively sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him. He leaned forward conspiratorially as Lois joined Kara and Kate off to the side.

“YOU got in trouble?” Jonathan said, eyes wide with realisation.

“Oh yeah.” Clark said. “I was supposed to get a lift back from school with some friends but they ditched me so I had to walk back. I got to that same crossing and the same thing happened. Big express train… though a fair bit slower in those days of course. I was angry and frustrated… and I started running alongside it. Next thing I knew I was overtaking the engine and then I tripped but didn’t hit the ground! My first flight and I don’t think I got more than three feet high! I got back to the farm and couldn’t resist waving as my ‘friends’ drove by. Pa saw and told me some home truths that hurt like hell and stuck with me.”

“And now you know the terrible truth.” Lois said, coming over to sit beside Clark. “Your father… is and always has been an idiot.” She smiled as she said it and all four of them laughed, the remaining tension draining away.

“What about you Kara?” Jordan asked, turning to face the blonde. “When did you fly for the first time?”

“Well… technically not long after the Danvers took me in.” Kara said. “But that was always just flying around the woods near Midvale to make myself feel better when I was homesick. The first time I really let go was when a corrupt cop had Alex at gunpoint. Suddenly hiding and being careful didn’t really matter anymore, saving her was the only thing that did.”

“What happened!” Jonathan asked, wide-eyed.

“I broke a concrete wall down, one of the pieces knocked the guy out and he was arrested. Alex was fine, obviously.”

“For the record, she wins the first flight contest.” Kate added from her sprawled position and another wave of laughter rolled round the room.

“Okay, okay, okay… what about the first time you saved someone. Like, did something really… uh, super?” Jordan asked, swept up in the moment.

“Oh that’s easy.” Clark said. “Catching Lois as she fell from the top of the Daily Planet then using the other hand to catch the helicopter she’d been riding in before putting them both back on the helipad.”

“Which for us is practically ‘our song’” Lois put in. “So does he win this one Kara?”

“Ummm…. Well, it’s not for me to judge…” Kara said awkwardly but she knew there was no way around this one. “I… kinda… stopped a 747 from crashing after two of its engines were sabotaged by grabbing it, turning it on its side, flying it through a suspension bridge and touching down in the river.”

“So that’s a no.” Lois said rolling her eyes. “Honestly honey, you needed to be more ambitious.”

“I… uh….” Clark looked from one face to the next but saw nothing to help him on any of them so settled for charming honesty. “If I had been I might never have met you.”

“True.” Lois admitted and gave him a quick kiss. 

“Alright. What’s the best thing about being Super?” Jordan asked, looking to get the subject changed from his parents dating history. Unfortunately he hadn’t thought his plan all the way through…

“Meeting Lois.” Clark said instantly.

“Meeting Kate.” Kara added.

“Meeting Kara.” Kate said then spread her arms wide at their confused looks. “What? Just because I don’t leap tall buildings in a single bound doesn’t make me any less super than you two. Plus I’ve got WAY better fashion sense.”

“Hey!” Kara protested. “You know you’re jealous of the cape!”

“Granted it’s got more of a swoosh factor than mine.” Kate admitted. “But as I don’t have super strength to lug it around I’ll settle for lightweight and bullet proof. Plus…” She winked at the boys. “Black’s just cooler than blue.”

“Help me out here?” Kara pleaded and to her surprise both Jonathan and Jordan shook their heads.

“Uh, no, we know better than to get involved in that!” Jonathan said urgently. 

“Umm… but… it does kinda…” Jordan stumbled over his words and couldn’t quite meet anyone’s eyes as he asked the question that had just occurred to him. “What if we don’t get… what if we’re not Super?”

“What if you are?” To everyone’s surprise it was Kate that answered, much to the relief of the rest of the adults in the room who were a little bit stuck for a good answer. Kate slid to her feet and started slowly walking around the outside of the group in a rough circle.

“What if you wake up tomorrow and can do everything your father can?” She asked. “What would you do?”

“Fly?”

“After that. After you’ve let the novelty sink in. What would you do with those powers?”

“I… uh… help people.” Jordan said a little unsurely. 

“How?”

“I… umm… I’m not sure. Help when I see someone needing it?”

“That’s a good answer.” Kate said as she passed behind Clark and Lois. “And you’ve got great role models if you want them.” She nodded to their parents as she kept walking, stalking around to the chair she’d been lounging in.

“So here’s the next question. If you work up tomorrow and wanted to help people that needed helping… do you need powers to do that?”

“No.” The response was instant and in stereo from both of the young men.

“Absolutely right.” Kate said proudly. “If you get powers then you’ll be able to do extraordinary things. But don’t forget…” She broke off for a moment as she came up behind where Kara was standing. In a blur of movement Kate grabbed her wife’s arm, wrapped a leg around Kara’s and rolled forward, Kara hit the ground hard on her back with a stunned look on her face. Kate just kept the roll going, bouncing smoothly back to her feet and leaving the strongest woman in the universe on the carpet behind her.

“Don’t forget that us regular people can be just as extraordinary.” She finished with a smirk. “Isn’t that right dear?”

“Absolutely.” Kara said with a fond smile as she clambered back to her feet. “I’ve seen Kate do some unbelievable things based on nothing but guts and willpower. She’s saved me more times than I want to think about.”

“And the same with Lois.” Clark admitted. “She might not wear a cape….”

“But don’t mention black leather.” Kate whispered so quietly only Kryptonian ears could hear her. Clark managed to ignore it but Kara let out a muffled giggle. 

“But she’s saved me on more than one occasion. Both as Clark and Superman.”

“Wow, you saved Superman mom?” Jordan asked then paused. “You saved… dad?”

“Oh I do that every day!” Lois said smugly. “But there was this one time when Lex Luthor found an old Kryptonian weapon. The only thing that could stop it was a Kryptonite spear and your father was ready to sacrifice himself to save the world…”

“What happened?” Jonathan asked, once again caught up in the story.

“The only thing that could happen.” Lois said softly and very, very quietly. “He distracted it while I stabbed it from behind.” There was more laughter at that and Clark gave a ‘she’s not wrong’ nod of agreement. “I mean, why on earth would I let him do it himself and get killed when I’m standing right there!”

“That should be the motto for anyone who marries a Kryptonian.” Kate agreed. “I’m thinking t-shirts, banners, add it to the business cards….”

Clark glanced at his sons and saw the worry behind the smiles. “Kate’s right.” He said with a wry smile. “Powers don’t matter, who you are and what you do is the important part. And we’re lucky to have Lois and Kate watching out for us.” He slid forward from the couch to sit with the boys, reaching out to put a hand on their shoulders. “I know this isn’t easy, being told you might be… different. But there’s just two things I want to say to both of you, if that’s okay?”

They nodded, growing serious along with him. “First, no matter what happens we love you. Okay? Nothing will ever change that and we’ll be there for you when you need us. Whether that’s… that’s with homework, heartbreak or heat vision.” They chuckled at that and Kara found herself bursting with pride at her little cousin. “We’ll do our best to get everything right but there’s gonna be times we don’t. And it’s okay to be angry when that happens just… just talk to us about it when you can, alright?”

Jordan nodded but Jonathan seemed a little reserved. “And the second thing?” He asked, clearly expecting a trap.

“Oh, right, the second thing. That’s the most important thing that’s been said all day.” Clark drew a deep breath and fixed first Jonathan then Jordan with a deadly serious look. “Just remember, whatever happens… you handled today a HELL of a lot better than I did when I found out the same thing about myself.”

“We did?” Jonathan was genuinely shocked. “But… but we yelled and ran away?”

“To your room.” Clark said with a chuckle. “I didn’t stop until Wyoming. And it took me a lot longer than a couple of hours to calm down and start talking.” 

“Well… we had help.” Jonathan admitted, looking at Kate with dawning understanding.

“That’ll happen when you’re good people.” Kate said cheerfully. “Talking of which, you’re all idiots.”

“What?” Kara, Clark and Lois asked in near-perfect unison. 

Kate rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Honestly, all the power in the universe and not a working brain cell between you. See what I have to put up with?” She asked the boys and got a stereo snicker in reply. “Your two sons asked you what it’s like to fly.”

“Uh…. Yes?” Clark said, confused. 

“And you have two Kryptonians in the room….”

“Yes but we both said what it’s like to…. Ohhhh.” The penny dropped and Clark actually blushed from embarrassment. “Good point.”

“Wait… you don’t mean…” Jordan said, looking from Kate to Kara to his father and back again.

“Well it’s up to you of course. And Kara would have to…”

“Of course I would!” Kara broke in. “And Kate’s right, we’re idiots.”

“She has a habit of being right.” Lois observed with a hint of annoyance. “So….?”

“Yes! I mean, yes, please, if that’s okay.” Jordan said eagerly with Jonathan nodding alongside him.


	8. Chapter 8

“Should we wait for tonight?” Clark asked but Kara shook her head.

“Trust me, doesn’t help hide anything. We’ve got privacy here and between us we should be able to make sure no-one sees us. Besides I think they’re gonna explode if we say they’ve gotta wait all afternoon.”

“Good point.” Clark stood up and turned towards the door only for Kara to stop him with a hand on his arm.

“Don’t you think you’ve forgotten something?”

“Uh…. No?”

“Come on Kal.” Kara said with a smile, deliberately using his Kryptonian name for the first time in front of his family. “Everyone knows Clark Kent and Kara Danvers can’t fly….”

Clark blinked then grinned as realised what she meant. He turned back to face his family and grabbed hold of both sides of his shirt. With a flicker of effort the buttons popped off and the fabric parted to reveal the famous crest on his broad chest, the blue of his super suit shining behind it. In a blur he ditched the outer layer and there, standing in the middle of his farmhouse in the heart of Kansas, was Superman.

“Woah….” Both kids breathed the word as one and Clark smiled happily as he felt his own tension finally melt away. He knew whatever lay ahead wasn’t going to be easy… but for the first time he could be completely honest with the people who meant the most to him.

“Kara?” Lois asked with a teasing smile. “Want to show up my husband again?”

“Uh…. No?” Even Kara had to admit that hadn’t sounded convincing. At all. She sighed and decided if she was going to do this she might as well go all-in.

She took a couple of long strides past the group standing and sitting in the middle of the room, heading for the door. When she was halfway there she paused, looking back over her shoulder with her hair framing her face in a golden halo. She reached up and pulled her glasses off with a dramatic flourish triggering her super suit. It rippled into being, spreading from her right hand and replacing her jeans and t-shirt as it washed over her. As it finished forming her boots she shifted into her best hero pose, hands on hips, cape billowing slightly in the gentle heat pouring from her body.

“That’s so cool! Oops, sorry dad….” Jonathan apologised as he realised what he’d just said.

“It’s okay. You’re right, it is. And very handy when you don’t have to try hiding the pants under a skirt.” Clark observed. “Besides I’ll let you into a little secret… Kara’s always been the cool one.”

“She has?” Jordan looked like he had a million questions but Clark was ready for him.

“Sure. I married a co-worker and live in a farmhouse. She married a billionaire playgirl with a thing for bats and has several penthouse apartments in major cities. When it comes to coolness I’m not even in the same sport!”

“Well he’s not wrong.” Kate said with a grin. “But that contest can wait. Come on you two… up, up and away!”

The two super cousins made their way outside, Jonathan sticking by his father while Jordan did the same with Supergirl. Two sets of super senses probed the world around them but couldn’t find anything to worry about as they stepped onto the hard dirt of the driveway. Kara stopped and reached for Jordan’s hand only to be interrupted by Kate’s voice from the porch.

“Hey, hey, a little further from the car please!”

“I’m not gonna damage it.”

“It’s a dirt surface and you leave a wake when you take off! Ten yards, minimum!”

“Fine. Okay, I’ll just go over here.” Kara grumbled as she felt Jordan shaking with silent laughter beside her. “How do you want to do this?” She asked Superman, mostly to change the subject.

“Decent cloud cover… slow take off, then get above them quick to keep the chances of being seen down?”

“Sounds good to me.” Kara agreed. “As we’re gonna be going up fast is it okay if I carry you until we’re up there?” She asked Jordan who nodded wide-eyed. This, he realised, was really happening…

A moment later both Supers had their passengers held securely in arms that didn’t even twitch at the weight of a teenager. A final look around to make sure and they kicked gently into the air, floating a few yards above the ground to let the boys get used to the feeling.

“Everyone ready?” Superman asked and got three answering nods. “Alright… hang on boys, this is going to be… different.”

They rocketed up into the sky, capes flapping behind them and were quickly swallowed up by the clouds. Kate and Lois watched them go and only when they were out of sight did Lois sigh and put a hand around Kate’s shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“Sorry if I was a bit blunt.”

“No, it’s what needed to be said and I couldn’t… this staying neutral thing is gonna kill me.”

“It does feel weird seeing you being diplomatic.” Kate agreed with a grin. “Hope I did a decent job being Lois Lane’s mouthpiece.”

“So long as you don’t want Lois Lane’s byline you can do that anytime.” Lois laughed. “What did you tell them?”

“The truth. Mostly. I figured you’d appreciate an ‘edited for television’ version.”

“You figured correctly.”

“They’re worried about the powers.”

“Not surprising.” Lois said with a sigh. “I just hope that if one gets it they both do.”

“Yeah, that’d suck.” Kate agreed. “For what it’s worth if there’s ever anything I can do to help them or you just ask.”

“Thanks Kate, that means a lot.” Lois glanced back up at the sky and a shadow passed in front of her face. “I just wish I knew what sort of world we’re bringing them into.”

“Doesn’t every parent?” Kate asked gently. “But as you brought it up I wanted to run something past you….


	9. Chapter 9

When the flight came in for a landing almost an hour had passed. Lois was waiting on the porch swing while Kate was perched - carefully to avoid damaging the paint - on the front wing of the car. There was a flutter of capes as first Kara then Clark touched down and let their awestruck passengers walk off a little unsteadily. 

“How’d it go?” Kate called.

“Fantastic!” Jordan replied. “Though the loops were… intense.”

“Kara, you didn’t!” Lois said, horrified.

“It’s not my fault… he asked!” 

“And you were, what, mind controlled?”

“No but…”

“Uh, Lois, I don’t think we need to…” Clark tried to interrupt but that was as effective as soaking up the ocean with a sponge.

“So why’d you do it? Showing off? Looking to one-up Clark? Why?”

“Kal dared me.” Kara said with a sweet smile that got a snort of laughter from Kate and a snicker from the boys as they watched the argument.

“He did? He did….” Lois turned on her husband and made a visible effort to calm herself. “Honey?”

“Yes?”

“We’ll talk about this but don’t dare Kara anymore, ‘kay?”

“Yes dear.” Clark waited until Lois had turned to check on the kids before winking at Kate and Kara. 

“Besides, there’s something we wanted to talk to you all about inside. Don’t worry about the suits, there’ll be time for casual wear later” Lois said and they all obediently trooped indoors. This time they all took seats in the living room. Lois and the boys took the main sofa, Clark an armchair while Kara took the matching one and Kate jumped into her wife’s lap. It felt odd with the two Kryptonians wearing their work clothes but they both assumed there was a reason Lois had wanted them not to change.

“So what did you think?” Lois asked the boys and Kara almost choked trying not to laugh as they both started talking over each other at a million miles an hour.

“Awesome!”

“When we…”

“Dad went upside down…”

“Clouds are way colder than you’d….”

“Fantastic!”

“Kara’s quicker though.”

“Yeah but dad’s stronger!”

Kate glanced over at her wife who had mysteriously developed a keen interest in the finer points of farmhouse ceiling design and was studying the one above her intently. 

“Nah.”

“Of course he is!”

“Kara, Kara who’s stronger?”

“Aaaaaaaanyway…..” Kate interrupted figuring this wasn’t the best time to tell two starstruck teenagers that their father might well be Superman and could leap tall buildings in a single bound but he’d also had his ass kicked by the slim blonde trying her best not to say anything and clearly about to burst from the effort. “Fair to say you liked it?”

“Well, yeah, obviously.” Jordan said in a surprised tone. “Mom, what was it like for you the first time?”

Kate suddenly joined her wife in a detailed inspection of the ceiling as she forced the instinctive jokes that were definitely audience-inappropriate away from her lips.

“It was… well, technically, it was terrifying because of that whole ‘falling to my death’ thing.” Lois admitted. “But the first time when there wasn’t a life or death situation was pretty magical. I mean, I was doing something that very few, if any, had done. Makes it special.”

“Which is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Kate jumped back in to the conversation, desperately ignoring the ‘magical first time’ comments she wanted to make. “I…we… could really use your help.”

“Our help?” Jonathan looked puzzled. “But we can’t… you know… do any of this stuff.”

“Oh I know, but that doesn’t mean you’re not uniquely placed to help us with maybe the most important thing the Justice League will ever do. Uh, Jordan, you okay?”

Jordan had suddenly gone white, his eyes fixed on the wall. “Huh? Oh… yeah, yeah, sorry. It’s just… I hadn’t thought of that. The whole Justice League thing? You know the Flash! And knew the Green Arrow. And… wait, does that mean we know the Flash?”

Kate held up a hand up with a chuckle. “Save something for tomorrow.” She advised. “Trust me, a lot of things are going to pop into your head as all this sinks in, there’s time enough to find the answers.”

“Right… right….” Jordan nodded then stage-whispered to his brother. “We so know the Flash.”

“And about now one or both of you are thinking that bit about the most important thing we’ll ever do sounds like the sort of stupid thing you hear in the movies when adults want kids to do something they don’t understand, am I right?”

“How do you DO that?” Jonathan asked with his jaw on the floor.

“She’s Batwoman!” Kara, Clark and Lois all said in perfect unison while Kate casually pulled a Batarang and ran a finger over the edge, clearly debating who to hit with it first. 

“I don’t say that…” She grumbled, resisting the temptation to point out it was far more of a Bruce thing. Another secret that wasn’t hers to tell. 

“It’s accurate though.” Lois pointed out. “And don’t worry about it boys, she does that to us as well. It’s annoying but you get used to it. We have checked though, she’s not a telepath.”

“So, wait, there really IS something important you think we can help with?” Jonathan asked.

“Yep. If you’re willing of course. This will sound silly given what’s happened today but there’s no pressure to do so.”

“Of course we’ll help.” Jordan said quickly. “Uh… how do we do that?”

Kate laughed and looked over at Clark. “Yeah, they’re your sons alright. Rushing in to help where angels fear to tread.” She grew serious again though the moment was slightly spoiled by tapping Kara on the head.

“This one has been speaking to… well, let’s say world leaders over the last few months. See… there’s a day coming that’s going to be a tipping point for the entire world. And you two are part of that.”

“Us? What did we do?”

“Oh, nothing.” Kate reassured them. “And neither did anyone else that’ll shift the balance of power but it’s going to happen anyway.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “You don’t have to go back too far to find a world without heroes. Your father was, more or less, the first public cape and that was just a couple of decades ago.”

She nodded towards Jordan. “You asked about Flash? Well he’s, technically, a meta-human. The… uh, incident that gave him his powers did the same for a lot of others. And that’s FAR from the only thing gifting extraordinary abilities to people. Then you’ve got aliens, magical beings, weird… fifth dimensional… irritants. The point is there’s suddenly a LOT of people out there with powers and there’s more every day.”

She smiled and wrapped her right arm around Kara’s shoulders. “At the moment people like my wife and your dad… they’re keeping everyone safe. They’re respected enough to make the right choice and have enough power to make anyone think twice about doing something stupid. But like everything else it’s a numbers game…”

She paused again, hoping she’d read the room. A moment later Jonathan raised his voice. “You’re… you’re talking about us, aren’t you? Not just us but kids of Supers, of aliens….”

“Got it in one!” Kate said with a proud smile. “Not all powers can be passed on that way of course but a lot can. I’ve….” She hesitated, wondering how to say this in a way that would make sense…

“I’ve seen a world where the next generation of heroes lost their way. Not this Earth or a future version of it so don’t worry about that. And yes, I’ll explain all the details another time, promise. But it slowly went bad and then, one day, it all fell apart. We very much want to avoid that happening here but we also need to make damn sure we don’t let someone who’s scared and feeling powerless make the choice of how we stop it. That’d be just as bad, if not worse.”

“So that’s what you’ve been talking about Kara? How to stop it?” Jordan asked.

“Sort of.” Kara hedged. “It’s more how we try and make a society that can accept people with… abilities. Who look different, who act different… traditionally this is not something humanity has been particularly good at. And it works both ways of course, how do we help those with power enough to crack open the planet live in a world that’s likely to be less than welcoming,”

“And that’s what I’d like your help on, if you’re willing.” Kate said. “See… we’re going on what we know, what we experienced and what we can see going on in the world. You two… you’re living it. You’ve got a perspective we never could and you’re both smart and compassionate which is the perfect blend for something like this. I don’t expect you to solve everything overnight - or at all come to that - but any ideas you have, anything that you see or experience that might be done better…. That’d be worth just as much as catching a plane or holding up a building if not a hell of a lot more in the long run.”

The teenagers looked at each other for a moment but it was already clear what their answer would be.

“Okay, we’re in.” Jonathan said, speaking for both of them. “On one condition…”

“And that is?” Lois asked.

“That Kara and Kate tell us about what they’ve done as heroes!” Jonathan said quickly. “Like what happened when the sky turned white!”

“That sounds fair to me.” Kara said with a giggle. “Only not tonight, okay? Tonight should be for you four.”

“Awwwwwwwwwww”

“No, Kara’s right.” Kate said gently but firmly. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back before you know it. But as the shock wears off you’re going to have a bunch of questions and it’s best if you can talk freely.”

“But before we do, Clark said I could teach you one thing.” Kara said, floating up from the chair and taking a surprised Kate with her. Kara placed her wife back in the chair and knelt down in front of the sofa. “Your first lesson in Kryptonesse.”

She tapped the symbol on her chest with a small, proud but slightly sad smile. “This is the crest of the House of El. Both Kal and I wear it as a memorial to what was lost and as a sign of hope to the people of this planet. But it’s got a deeper meaning than that. In our language it means El mayarah…. Stronger together.” The smile shifted into a far broader and joyful grin. “And today I’ve never felt stronger or happier or more proud than to welcome you to our family.”

There was a pause then both boys launched themselves at the smiling blonde, wrapping their arms around her in a hug. Clark and Lois joined in and while Kate gave them some space she found Clark snagging her wrist and drawing her in as well.


	10. Chapter 10

“So that went well.” Kate commented as she parked the car in the newly-painted Batcave.

“Thanks to you.” Kara teased but Kate waved the compliment away.

“Nah, I just helped them over the typical teenage angst reaction. Clark and Lois raised them right Kara, they’re going to do extraordinary things. And that’s assuming they don’t get powers! If they do then watch out world!”

“They’re going to.” Kara said quietly, so quietly Kate almost missed it. 

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. When we were flying I could… feel Jordan’s body absorbing solar radiation. Not much, not yet… but enough. It was like that part of me was lying in the shade.”

“You think Clark noticed with Jonathan ?”

“If he’s doing the same thing, yeah.” Kara said quietly. “I didn’t want to talk about it while we were there just in case but we’ll touch base in the next couple of days.”

“Well that was why they moved to Smallville after all.” Kate said with a shrug. “And don’t worry, we’ll figure out how to spend whatever time they need us for down here without looking suspicious.”

“Maybe you could start the Smallville branch of Wayne Enterprises?”

“Not much call for real estate development around here.” Kate pointed out. “Or much of anything really.”

“Hey, be nice! Midvale isn’t much different to this you know!”

“Oh I know… and the same thing applies there as well.” Kate grinned. “Give me the city any day, even if that city does happen to be Gotham. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something. Maybe I can talk Lena into a joint venture in corn….”

“Let’s face it, the only joint venture you’re interested in with Lena is….”

“Ah, stop right there!” Kate said, wrapping Kara up in a hug. “You know full well that there’s nothing ‘only’ about those ideas!”

“Well that’s true.” Kara admitted, kissing her wife and relaxing into the embrace. “You’re really inventive with some of that stuff!”

“What can I say? Creativity, money and a sadistic side make for an interesting combination. Plus it’s just fun to think of ways to torment Lena.”

“Yeah it…. isn’t. Isn’t. Definitely isn’t.” Kara blushed and Kate kissed her gleefully.

“Oh, the mighty Supergirl admitting she wants to torment a gorgeous woman? What is the world coming to?”

“I… I….”

“I mean I can understand why. There must have been a thousand times when you just wanted to put her over your knee and spank some sense into her.” Kate pressed her hips up against Kara’s body and let her fingers start sliding over her back. “I bet that kept you up at night, right my love? The thought of hearing Lena Luthor cry out for mercy from Supergirl, the way her voice would break with shame and pleasure?”

“Kate…” The word was a groan and Kara’s body was starting to move in time with Kate’s slow grinding. 

“Not that I blame you for that of course. Hell if I’d been in your cape I might not have had quite so much self control!” Kate looked deep into Kara’s eyes and noticed something… unexpected.

“Wait… I know that look… Why Supergirl, where did some of those fantasies end up, hmmm? They didn’t all finish with truth and justice, did they?”

“That’s more Kal’s thing…” Kara muttered in embarrassment but Kate wasn’t about to be distracted from such a juicy revelation.

“No… no you wanted her to switch the tables didn’t you? Put you in a devious trap designed to strip you of your dignity, self-control and clothes all at the same time?”

“Umm….”

“Come on, out with it, what got you going? The bondage? Being helpless at someone else’s mercy? Feeling pain switch to pleasure… or was it just the thought of kissing Lena’s perfect feet while praying that velvet-smooth voice would order you to kiss a little higher…?”

Kara blinked and the next thing Kate knew she’d been picked up, spun round and pressed hard against the wall. Kara was kissing her hard enough it was almost painful, her tongue forcing its way into Kate’s mouth and lashing around like it was possessed. 

“Wow…” Kate gasped as they broke apart for air. “I take it that’s a yes?”

“Yes.” Kara growled as she pinned her wife to the wall with a predatory smile. “And now I know just what I want to do to you as my prize from our anniversary bet.”

Kate swallowed hard, her stomach fluttering with nerves and excitement. She’d never quite seen Kara so…. So focused, so eager and with such an evil glint in her eye.

“What do you want….?” Kate asked quietly, pitching her voice to be tempting, enticing and just a little submissive. She wasn’t sure what was about to be said but with Kara physically pinning her in place it seemed the way to go.

“Oh I want you, of course.” Kara whispered, her lips touching Kate’s ear. “Eventually, at least. Before that though you’re going to want to kill me….”

**Author's Note:**

> All this from a few hundred words about Kara cutting her hair... yes, seriously, this was intended as a short story! Talking of, the original comic that inspired that first chapter is over here and I thoroughly recommend all of this artists work as she's fantastic! https://comickergirl.tumblr.com/post/186176702886/kara-getting-bangs-was-a-hair-razing-adventure#notes
> 
> A couple of other quick references: The T.50 Kate gets to show off is real and, for some reason, seems to fit my mental image of Kate perfectly so it got dropped in. Plus the back end has a passing similarity to the Adam West Batmobile thanks to the fan (yes, fan... seriously, it's got a fan on it for aero reasons) so bonus! https://media.autoexpress.co.uk/image/private/s--B95TPn2j--/f_auto,t_content-image-full-desktop@2/v1614007242/autoexpress/2021/02/Gordon%20Murray%20T.50s%20Niki%20Lauda.jpg
> 
> For the curious the (genuine) promotional shot for season 4 of Buffy that was Kate's moment of realisation: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/buffy/images/d/de/A5.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20180404175015
> 
> And a quick roadmap update while we're here! Assuming whatever I just did to my back lugging the shopping upstairs sorts itself out to the point sitting in front of keyboard is possible next week is likely to be flat out filth. No other way to put it, that one will earn its explicit rating. Then we're off on what's... maybe... a three part season finale though if you've been following along with this ridiculous ride you'll know my estimates tend to be a tad flexible.


End file.
